Keeper of the Song
by chibi-onna1
Summary: The Song was fading, slowly being forgotten. A lonely being, a scorned creature shall rise to save It. Or would he? Will eventually be SasuNaruNaruSasu. Chapter 2: The Falling Leaves, is up.
1. Of Dreams and Reality

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. Nor some of the concepts I used which Ms. Madeline L'Engle inspired me with.

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A/N: Plot bunny won't leave me alone. Hence, the birth of this story. Just a short reminder for everyone, **this story is set in an alternate universe**. I've been itching to write this just so it could get out of my system and let me pay attention to my other stories. This will be multi-chapter as well, but don't worry: I have no intention of dropping any of my stories. I'm just really slow in updating sometimes.

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Keeper of the Song

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Chapter 1: Of Dreams and Reality

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Once, there was a time when the Song was heard and sung by all: every star, every planet, every thing and every creature. The Song was the epitome of beauty, unmarred by the form of words, nor of matter. It was understood by all, rejoiced in by all. It just _was_, as it came to _be_. The Darkness and the Light were two yet were one; mingling, yet distinct. Everything was in harmony, content in the beautiful balance of life. Everything held the joy of living. Everything knew its place and danced to the glorious rhythm of the Music. Peace reigned over all. 

And then it struck.

Dissonance. A screeching ugly sound that tore the Melody apart. Causing agony, pain, anguish in its wake. Anger, jealousy, rage, lust, arrogance. Leaving hearts restless and unsure, not trusting others. Not trusting themselves. Stars dimmed, their strength weakened. Less and less sung the Song. More and more turned deaf ears. Few were resilient. Few had faith.

They were chosen. To help. To keep the Harmony. To avoid total destruction. Given power, as big as their responsibility. They accepted. Pure hearts. Peaceful hearts. Seraphim.

Temptation and arrogance wormed its way in. Some drew away, believing themselves capable of everything. Believing they did not need the Song, nor the stars, nor the Presence that chose them. They turned their backs on the Voice. Bitter hearts. Empty hearts. Nephilim.

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Naruto rubbed the sleep away from his eyes and yawned. He had been having the strange dream all his life, yet knew nothing of it but vague flashes and snippets; the details slipping from his mind as water would from his hands, the more he tried to remember. 

He turned to his window. It was still a bit dark outside, but it won't be long now…

Naruto waited patiently. Listening. In the stillness of the early morning, he heard the greetings of the stars: a nice sound of chimes in his heart.

_Good morning, Naruto…_

He smiled and greeted them back, saying 'see you later' without the use of words. The stars winked at him, smiling back.

And suddenly, everything burst with light and color. The brilliant disc of fire rose from the horizon as though the Earth gave birth to it. The birds sang, the trees swayed, the wind blew a gentle breeze. Naruto listened. He heard the glorious Song. It was a beautiful morning.

But his smile fell, and he made his bed as he did everyday. Somberly, he cleaned himself and ate his breakfast, mechanically. Routinely. In his eyes, the radiant morning grew bleak.

Off to Learn he went. Alone. Always alone. Sad. So sad.

_Smile. Show not your pain. Be strong. You are not alone. You have us._

The wind whispered in his ears.

He did as he was told, his smile now not as fake as the others. Yes. He had them. The stars, the moon, the sun, the wind. Nature accepted him and loved him.

_But I'm human._

He needed others of his own kind. He needed their recognition, their acceptance. _Their love._

He hurt; from the glares, the spits on his path, the sneers and disgust. Cold eyes, cruel words and closed hearts.

He had never understood why, and perhaps he never will.

He sighed and masked his wistful expression. An easy-going grin should do for now.

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Konohagakure. The Hidden Leaf Village. Home to a peace-loving people, a tribe of talented and gifted beings. Hard work and honest living. That was what they held dear. 

Hunters woke early, setting their traps to supply the Leaf with food. Healers looked after the sick. Crafters, Singers and Dancers practiced their arts. Nurturers tended to the needs of their charges: be it plant or animal. Mediators settled problems. Students Learned. Teachers Taught.

From the outside, everything was as it should be in the Leaf.

An old man sighed and leaned back from his chair. The Leaf tribe was beautiful. Compassionate. Loving.

But they were selective. They discriminated. They judged.

Was the compassion real, then? Was the love real? Were the people really beautiful?

_What is real?_

The Seer was wise, brought about by the openness of his mind and heart, as well as the years gone by. The Seer was respected by all. Adored by all. Loved by all. The Seer Saw, and did what was needed. When he Saw trouble, he would warn the Leaf to make them ready. When he Saw good, he would also tell them so they may rejoice.

Sarutobi sighed, sounding older than ever. Worry accentuated the lines on his face. He Saw. And it was not good. Not good at all.

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A/N: Short, yeah, I know. I can't promise longer chapters because I'm easily exhausted when I write in this manner. When I think abstract, I write it in one sitting. And then I get all brain-dead. So how was it? Good? Bad? Please tell me and review… 


	2. The Falling Leaves

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. Nor some of the concepts I used which Ms. Madeline L'Engle inspired me with.

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A/N: I'm sorry for the very slow update… Please expect such from here on.. _Chibi bows._ I'm very busy with college and everything… And to top it all off, my life became so damned troublesome lately… Things are starting to settle down, but it's not quite there yet. I just hope you guys will like this..

Saa, on to the fic!

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Keeper of the Song

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Chapter 2: The Falling Leaves

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Green leaves happily fluttered by, dancing to the unheard music of the wind. Twirling, flying, soaring, playing… Falling to the ground in clustered piles, content to be free though they knew it would be short-lived. The branch from which they came laid bare, save for a hint of orange at the tip. It desperately wanted to join its brothers; but alas, it was not meant to be.

Naruto released a sad sigh as he tore his gaze away from the lonely orange leaf. It reminded him of his own loneliness, the pain of being the only one who didn't pass the Test. He felt stupid and useless, shunned and left behind. All the others had shown sufficient Talents in their chosen fields, and had been taken in as Apprentices. And he…

He was there in the woods, sitting on his swing under the almost-bare tree. He sighed once more and closed his eyes.

_Will I never go beyond Learning? How will I ever become Hokage?_

Hokage were exceptional individuals. They had charisma, power and infinite kindness. The Hokage were chosen to lead the village, regardless of their specialized Tasks. The First had been a Nurturer of Plants. The Second had been the Guardian of the Waters. The Third had been a Teacher before he became both Seer and Hokage. The Fourth had been a Warrior: an amazing one at that.

He was snapped out of his reverie by the sound of someone calling his name. He looked up, surprised that someone had found him. He was well into the forest, after all.

"M-mizuki-sensei?"

It was one of his Teachers.

The man smiled at him. "Naruto, I know you feel bad about not passing the Test, and I know that your Talent is just sleeping somewhere within you."

At his words, Naruto's heart warmed, comforted with the thought of someone believing in him.

"You're a good lad," the Teacher continued, "so I'm giving you another chance."

He felt hope spring in his chest as his blue eyes widened.

"C-can you really do that, Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto asked, breathless. His grip tightened around the thick vines that held his swing in place.

Mizuki gave him a reassuring smile. "Yes, there is another way of seeing where your innate Talents will lead you other than simply showing aptitude while Learning… There is an ancient incantation in the records of the village that will show us exactly where you should be placed." He fished a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it out to the boy. "Those are the directions on how to get it. Follow the instructions to the dot. You must not be seen."

"B-but isn't that stealing?"

"Oh Heavens, no," he chuckled, "It's all part of the ritual. Now, go and get it. Meet me here an hour before midnight. Keep in mind that this is your last chance. You must be resilient, Student."

Determination burned in Naruto's eyes. "Yes, Teacher." He stood straight and bowed before going on his way.

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"Kakashi," Sarutobi called his personal guard.

A silver-haired man stood before the Seer, his single visible eye alert.

"Please bring a Teacher named Iruka here immediately."

The Seer has just Seen. The Vision was important enough for the old man to take action.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

The guard bowed and hastened to carry out the order.

Sarutobi sat back and waited for Iruka to arrive. Konoha's destiny was starting to unfold, and it shall be as it was made known to him. Soon, the fate of the world shall rest in the hands of a very special boy…

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Naruto ran, swift and silent in the shadows of the forest, a huge scroll strapped on his back. Upon reaching a well-concealed clearing, he stopped to catch his breath. He removed the scroll from his back and sat under one of the trees. He stared at the scroll, wondering about its contents.

_Should I open it?_

Everything was eerily still and quiet, as though waiting for something to happen. The wind was reassuring, though silent. He looked up at the sky. The stars were not singing, but they beamed at him comfortingly, winking from time to time.

Curiosity won over and Naruto carefully opened the scroll. As he scanned the text, his eyes gradually widened. It was a very long list of powerful spells… And all were forbidden. They were not for his eyes to see.

In his haste to roll up the scroll, one of his fingers got cut by the sharp edge of the paper. As soon as his blood came in contact with it, a bright flash of light surprised him, causing him to drop the scroll and shield his eyes. It was gone as soon as it came. Puzzled and slightly disoriented he finished rolling up the scroll.

"Naruto! Thank god I found you…"

Naruto tensed. _He wasn't supposed to be seen!!!_

And yet Iruka was before him at that very instant. He clutched the scroll closer to himself.

"Ah, I see that you got it," came the slippery voice of Mizuki. "Come on, hand it over."

"No!!! Naruto, whatever happens, don't give it to him!!! He used you to steal the scroll for his own selfish ambitions!!!"

Mizuki's expression darkened. "Well, I guess it can't be helped now… But Iruka, don't you just hate him?" He gestured towards the blond boy. "Should I remind you how your parents were killed? How vile and dirty this demon's blood is?"

"Stop! We are forbidden to speak of it!!!" Iruka yelled.

Mizuki continued, ignoring Iruka's outburst; this time addressing the boy. "Didn't you ever wonder why you were so hated? Why every soul in this village curses your mere existence? Of course you wouldn't, _demon spawn_!!! The Third forbade us from talking about you, much less gutting your disgusting little self." He snorted. "Our lives in exchange for our silence. He seemed to think it was fair. But **_we_** certainly don't…" Mizuki's face twisted manically. "Because you deserve to die! Your kind should not exist!!! Your mother almost destroyed Konoha, and it won't be long before you try to finish what she started!!!"

With the smile of a madman, Mizuki launched a fuuma shuriken, one that he had stolen from a Warrior, at Naruto. The boy was unable to move, both from fear and the shock of hearing the words that spilled from the traitor's mouth.

But the impact never came. Naruto stared incredulously at his mentor who shielded him from the huge weapon. Iruka coughed out blood, and the sight of it made everything all the more real. Stunned and confused, the blond could only stare up at his savior with wide eyes.

"…. Why….?"

"After my parents died, I was alone…. Nobody acknowledged me and I grew envious of the other kids who weren't orphans… I acted like an idiot while I was still Learning, just so others could give me the acknowledgement I craved for… It was so painful…" The Teacher's voice held so much emotion, quivering in its intensity. Tears rolled down his kind face. "You must have been in a lot of pain, too…"

"Hmmm? So you're saying you don't hate the demon brat? What a hypocrite!" Mizuki leered.

Iruka slowly got up as he extracted the weapon from his back and threw it to the side, only to fall back down on his knees in his weakened state. "I hate the demon for what it has taken away from me…"

Naruto's heart clenched painfully in his chest.

_He hates me…I was a fool for hoping so much…_

"… But Naruto is different!!! I've acknowledged him as one of my excellent students… He may not be the most hardworking, nor the best in his class… He's clumsy so nobody accepts him… He already knows how it is to feel pain in his heart… A son will never be its mother! He is not the demon! He's a member of Konohagakure: he is Uzumaki Naruto!!!"

"Hn. I see. So that's how it is… Now then… Hurry up and die!!!" Mizuki charged at the other Teacher. However, he never got a chance to even lay a finger on Iruka, as he had been kicked away by a sandaled foot. Caught off-guard, he was unable to do anything.

"Don't touch Iruka-sensei… Or I'll kill you." It was eerie, how the child's voice carried more than enough courage to speak about death in such a way. There was an ancient feel about those blue eyes focused on his black ones.

Mizuki spat out blood. "I'll kill a punk like you in one shot!"

Naruto raised his hands in a seal, his eyes still burning through the traitor. "Try it, trash. I'll return the pain a thousand times over."

"Then do it, Demon!!!"

A soft blue glow surrounded the child and slowly but surely gathered enough speed to swirl around him.

"W-what? What's going on?" Mizuki was bewildered.

Suddenly, a sea of orange met his eyes. A thousand Narutos surrounded him, each with that haunting gaze trained on him.

The rest was history. True to his promise, Naruto gave him back the pain he dealt a thousand times over. Mizuki had succumbed to unconsciousness long ago, but the boy did not stop until each of the thousand made a hit.

"I think I overdid it," Naruto said as he looked down on the beaten figure.

"Naruto, come here. There's something I want to give you," Iruka called him over.

"Close your eyes," he commanded.

After a few moments, the boy asked if he could open his eyes. Iruka said yes, and he did so.

"Congratulations, Student. You have crossed the threshold and henceforth shall be known as an Apprentice."

Words failed the normally loud blond. With tears in his eyes, he hugged his precious teacher, unable to express himself in any other way.

Naruto basked in the feeling of being loved, acknowledged for being him. Nothing can ever describe how he felt at the moment, for words are not enough to express such pure things so perfectly. His heart sang in the simple joy of living.

On a branch elsewhere, the lonely orange leaf fell, joining its brethren in pursuing a new chapter of their lives.

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A/N: So that's chapter two… I didn't explain much yet, but please be patient because it will come in later chapters… Thank you all for reading my story. You, my dear readers, keep me writing despite writer's block, lack of time and all that crap.. So, thanks. Chibi smiles.

Replies to signed reviews will be sent individually, in compliance with the rules of ffnet..

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Replies:

Cassidy: Thank you! _Chibi hugs Cassidy._

anonymus: Thank you for reading and reviewing… I really appreciate it.

Ruffled Feathers: I think I've already answered your question through email, but I'm not really sure.. _Chibi sweatdrops._ In any case, no, it wasn't intended. Actually, I only noticed the similarity when you pointed it out to me. But don't worry, it will not veer in that direction. Thanks for reading and reviewing!


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